ACF-OCS-CSBG-DCL-25-01 Annual Report 3.0 30-Day Comment Period
Community Services Block Grant
Dear Colleague Letter
DCL#: ACF-OCS-CSBG-DCL-25-01
DATE: October 11, 2024
TO: CSBG Network
SUBJECT: CSBG Annual Report 3.0 30-Day Comment Period
ATTACHMENT(S): Not Applicable
Dear Colleague,
The Office of Community Services (OCS) is writing to notify the public of the opportunity to provide final comments on the proposed revisions to the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Annual Report 3.0 (OMB No. 0970-0492) information collection request (ICR). The form included in this ICR is:
The information in the CSBG Annual Report 3.0 contains substantial revisions inclusive of the feedback received through the 60-day comment period while reducing the estimated burden and ensuring the data collected was critical for federal reporting and satisfies the requirement outlined in Section 678E of the CSBG Act.
Final 30-Day Comment Period for the CSBG Annual Report 3.0
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) published the second notice for public comment on this form, which is available on the Federal Register . As described in this published second notice, all written comments should be sent directly to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and not to ACF. Members of the public may find this information collection on RegInfo.gov - ICR by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function selecting “Department of Health and Human Services.”
Comments are only accepted through RegInfo.gov for 30 days after OMB’s receipt of the review request and the corresponding start to the 30-day comment period. As indicated in the notice, OMB will make a decision concerning the information collection between 30 and 60 days after publication of this document in the Federal Register. Therefore, OMB must receive comments within 30 days of publication.
Updates to the Review Process for the CSBG Annual Report 3.0 Comments
In the initial 60-day comment period , this collection request contained the CSBG Annual Report 3.0 (PDF); a version of the CSBG Annual Report with substantial revisions that aimed to significantly reduce the burden and ensure the data collected was critical for federal reporting. OCS again thanks the public and the CSBG network for their thoughtful comments on the proposed changes to the CSBG Annual Report 3.0. The Paperwork Reduction Act comment period process provided an opportunity for the public to review these changes and share comments on the information collection while ensuring that the opportunity for review is robust, equitable, and accessible.
In total, OCS received 223 responses during the 60-day comment period. These responses included 97 written responses to the Federal Register Notice and 126 responses during listening sessions. Listening session comments included 84 poll responses, 36 verbal responses, and 6 substantive chat responses. The 223 responses yielded 1,799 unique comments, including 1,464 unique comments in response to the Federal Register Notice and 335 unique comments in the listening sessions. Based on these comments, OCS made substantial revisions to the Annual Report 3.0. A detailed response and disposition to each comment received is available in the FRN Comment Workbook .
Once OMB determines it is appropriate to approve the information collection, as noted in the DCL released on April 22, 2024, it will be approved for a three-year period. Following OMB approval, OCS intends to implement the Annual Report 3.0 with a phased approach. On March 31, 2026, grant recipients may opt-in to using the Annual Report 3.0 instrument or may continue using Annual Report 2.1 for the submission of the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) CSBG Annual Report. On March 31, 2027, all grant recipients would be required to use the Annual Report 3.0 for the submission of the FY26 CSBG Annual Report. OCS will begin working with technology partners and the CSBG network to modify systems and develop robust training and technical assistance to support the collection of the CSBG Annual Report information.
OCS extends its sincere appreciation to the CSBG network for reviewing the proposed updates and providing thoughtful and thorough comments and suggestions. We appreciate your partnership and will continue to work diligently on our shared goal to harness data to highlight the tremendous impact of CSBG.
/s/
Charisse Johnson
Director, Division of Community Assistance
Office of Community Services